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A cat not associated with this story who was poisoned in 1982 - photo by foreversouls (Flickr)

9th May 2010: How to catch a cat poisoner? I would like to try and catch the cat poisoner of Walkley, north Sheffield. You may have heard about it. A nasty cat hating person is putting down, in the street, dry cat food laced with antifreeze for cats to eat. This has resulted in the known deaths of 11 cats in Walkley, a suburb of Sheffield. It is not uncommon in Britain for people to kill cats in this way. Antifreeze is a cat poison as it causes kidney failure. See also: Making antifreeze unpalatable to cats.

We know that the police are highly unlikely to catch the cat poisoner of Walkely. It is simply not the kind of crime that the police are interested in. They can't even catch burglars and if and when they do catch burglars they just caution them because the prisons are full.

So what can we do? Not a great deal but it is therapeutic to try. I would love to catch this person. If I did I am not sure that what I would do to him would be legal.

We know that the cat killer bought or acquired brightly coloured fish and star shaped cat biscuits as a poisoned cat or cats vomited them up. It should not be that difficult to work out which manufacturer makes brightly coloured dry cat food. And it should not be that difficult to at least see if some shops local to the suburb in question sells dry cat food that is brightly coloured. This sort of cat food is unusual as most is not coloured in this way. I speculate that the food was Brekkies as they have different colours for each type. This is pure guesswork though. Anyone know what the food is?

I am also speculating that the cat poisoner lives locally. This, I feel, is almost a certainty and a starting point upon which the investigation could initially be based.

A bit of research indicates that a possible shopping area suitable to people living in Walkley would be the shops in Crookes Rd. Here is a map:

Crookes Road is a local high street of shops. To USA visitors a "high street" is a local main street where there are shops and other services and community facilities.

In Crookes Road there is a Co-op for instance (a small supermarket - see Google street view). Perhaps a policeman or the RSPCA could visit the shop and look around? If dry cat food was sold and if it was brightly coloured the investigating police officer could ask the shop keeper for till receipts or computer records of purchases that took place around the time of the cat poisonings. The chances of all this panning out are slim but that is the nature of criminal investigations and it has to be done nonetheless. Something might turn up.

If the cat poisoner of Walkely used a credit card to buy the cat food you would be able to trace him if the till receipt or record was found. Of course, not everyone who bought brightly coloured dry cat food is a cat poisoner in Walkely but you could ask questions and make judgments once you knew who had bought it.

What I am saying is look at local shops and local transactions for brightly coloured cat food that is fish or star shaped and go from there.

Others have guessed that the cat poisoner of Walkely is a man in his 50s who keeps pigeons. Maybe. Not a bad start. Add that to what I have said and it starts to look like it might be possible to catch a cat poisoner. This person must be caught. It is having a profound effect on the lives of the cats and cat caretakers of the area. The cats are being kept in but it has spoiled the area for a number of residents and at least one has expressed a desire to leave.

Comments for To Catch A Cat Poisoner

We have a cat poisoner in our neighborhood as well. So far, 3 cats have been poisoned that we know of, only 1 survived. I was getting nervous since I hadn't seen my tuxedo tomcat in awhile; however, he has returned which is a relief! If I were to catch this heinous person, I can't say my methods would be legal either. It's despicable.

Where will you be tourning in the USA? Any chance you'll be in the Boston area? Enjoy.

May 10, 2010

sick peopleby: kathy

There just are too many sick people in this world. If you do catch this person you might want to make him a cocktail of his own with some antifreeze topped with a cherry. Good luck with your quest. I hope you find out who it is. Meanwhile I would keep my cats under close eye or not let them out unsupervised.

May 10, 2010

To Rudolphby: Michael

Hi Rudolph. I am going to America for 12 days from the 15th May but should be back home in London when you are here. I live in South West London (at present).Perhaps we can meet up? Please keep in touch about this if you would like to meet.

May 10, 2010

To Rudolphby: Ruth

Rudolph what a shame London is so far away from us in the North of England,you would have been most welcome to call for a cup of tea. Enjoy your trip.

May 10, 2010

To catch a cat poisonerby: Rudolph.A.Furtado

Its really sad to find "Psychopath killers" all over the World, be it on humans or animals. I will be visiting London on Wednesday(26-5-2010) and would be in the city for a week, sightseeing and touring. "Jack the Ripper walking tour" is on my itinerary but now the "Cat Poisoner" of London seems as bizarre as "Jack the ripper" in 1888! The trouble is that "Psychopathic killers" of animals are treated with "Kid Gloves" for the simple reason that in a World already full of "Human crime", the crime against animals is considered bizarre,suitable as media news, but not a threat to society stability or morality. In my native Mumbai, there have been numerous instances of stray dogs being poisoned, a newspaper article, but never a crime solved by the police department. Its time that crime against animals are treated seriously as most "Psychopathic animal killers" usually turn over to humans at a later stage in life, a fact of life documented through the "Case Study" of numerous human serial killers.

May 10, 2010

Hmm I know what you mean !by: Ruth

Yes I know what you mean Michael,cats come far down in the scale of importance with the authorities, even most animal welfare ones. I could email the RSPCA and CP if you like ? I'd just say a friend and I were talking and he had a couple of good suggestions I was passing on. I could copy your ideas into my emails to them. It probably wouldn't do any good but then again it wouldn't do any harm. And just imagine if they caught that scumbag because of your thoughts ......

May 10, 2010

Hi Ruthby: Michael

Thanks for the comment. The trouble is my approaches to the "authorities" are usually rebuffed. They are too narrow minded, small minded and simply don't care.

May 10, 2010

Good idea Michaelby: Ruth

Good thinking Michael.Yes if the police had the time and the inclination they could probably track down the culprit. Have you notified the RSPCA of your thoughts? Maybe they would take your ideas seriously and look into it. Or Cats Protection? I don't know what the animal welfare services are like where the cat poisoner stalks,here the RSPCA are pretty hopeless and our local Cats Protection crumbled,but it's worth a try contacting the Walkley branches as it only takes one enthusiastic person to latch onto something and look into it.